Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Alms And More At The Gas Station

There was an extraordinary long queue at the gas station yesterday.   I wound the window down  as the air conditioner had been switched off. That's when I saw the old woman begging alms from the occupants of the car in front of me .    Old age had stooped her, she was wrinkled and weather-beaten. She stood silently by the car with her hand extended. She waited for some time and got no response. Then she walked over to my car.    As she approached I got a better view of her. There were wrinkles around her eyes, but it was her eyes that struck me the  most. There seemed to be a lot of hurt and pain in them. There was a strong feeling within me that this woman had struggled a lot in her life, and in that struggle she had been reduced to this state.   There arose in me a deep feeling of ... Read Full Story >>

Bunny Slippers

I Always Get Smiles In Return

Just imagine - everything going wrong in your life and you can't help but be sad. Then some stranger gives you a friendly smile and make you feel special for no reason at all.

Pooja With Neighbours

The day started well and ended well! 

Secret Shopping In Iceland

I work just minutes from one of London’s busiest railway stations. Another minute or two away is a lovely, lively street with stalls selling Mexican, Thai and French food, as well as cafes, sandwich places and an Iceland which is one of the cheaper frozen food stores here in the UK.   As I was walking around one lunch time I spotted a small elderly lady pushing an empty push-chair slowly along the pavement.     I immediately wanted to do something for her but I felt a little strange following her around so I decided to continue my walk. Fate had other plans though. A few minutes later I passed Iceland and saw her putting groceries into her push-chair inside the store.     That’s when I decided I’d try to pay for her shopping.    The cashier looked at me kind of incredulously as I tried to explain that the money I was handing over ... Read Full Story >>

The Opened Cloak

Today I was out in the world. Something I don't do often enough. And I gathered, as I too often do, my happiness about me like a protective cloak.  

The Power of an Anonymous 'Thanks' at Work

About seven years ago while working at the human relations branch of a large organization as an intern, I was very into the FISH philosophy, which included a "Make Their Day" piece.  I loved this philosophy and now realize it was very close to the concept of random acts of kindness.  One particular experiment I tried was to insert a blank notecard into a new employee's mailbox every day that was addressed specifically to that person and mentioned a particular characteristic about them that was positive and noticed and making a difference.  For example, one might say,  "Dear Jane,  You have been super helpful and positive lately.  It is noticed, appreciated and you are making a difference - THANK  YOU!!  ~Your coworker." I caught a few people in the hallway, knowing they were the person i had tagged that day or week, and you could see this "glow."  The positivity slowly spread, as no one besides me knew who was paying attention, nor did they know who had ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness as Easy as Apple Pie

At work we have a luncheon each month to celebrate the birthdays of the people who were born that month. We take turns supplying the lunch and desserts.

It was not my turn to supply anything for August, but I wanted to contribute.  I have a new boss and she is allergic to chocolate. (I know, I wonder how can she live without chocolate in her life?) Anyway, I wanted to make sure that she was able to eat dessert because August was her birthday month and she was new. I stopped at the store and bought an apple pie to add to the dessert menu!

Little things mean a lot! I'd say that act of kindness was as easy as pie...

A Small Gesture Makes A Big Impact

I feel so fortunate as I write this. I signed up to this website last week after my Grandmother died.  I’m hoping to make a difference like my Grandma did. I've been thinking about things to do for others and I've been reading all of these wonderful stories from all of you- and it is truly inspiring. I took my daughter school shopping the other day.  She was on a budget and didn’t want to spend all her money in one place so she was being careful of what she was picking out and how much it cost. We were in the (long) line waiting to pay, and we were adding up everything she had bought.  The lady in front of us must have heard us because she turned around and handed us a 40% off coupon and said we could use it if we liked as she already had one.  My daughter ... Read Full Story >>

Birthday Acts of Kindness

I read a post by Bluebell saying she was going to do some extra random acts of kindness during September, her birth-month.  I’m in too!

On Saturday I volunteered at a rest home for a few hours. Every Saturday a group of my friends and I go around to the rest home and sit and talk with all the people there. It is amazing at what a difference you can make to someone’s day just by taking the time to sit with someone who is sick and listen to them and talk with them. They love you talking to them and as youth taking a real interest in them.

During September, I'm going to go around to the rest home and spend time with the old people every Saturday.

I also left a bright and happy thank you card and smile card for the cleaner who comes to clean my room every few days at university to show her how much she is appreciated.

A Random Act of Encouragement

I got an idea, from a magazine about leaving notes of kindness for people.

I now leave notes that say things like:

" You are loved" or "You are stronger than you think"

Or any other positive sayings.

I leave the notes in places like the restroom at my work etc. I also say a silent prayer for whoever might see the note.

Taking the Extra Step to 'Pay-it-Forward'

I wanted to do a random act of kindness for my friend’s birthday, so on Friday I went to Walmart to carry out my gift to her because I think people who shop there do so to save money and could use a gift. My gift in honor of her birthday is a birthday cake!  I selected a cupcake birthday cake for which the recipient of the gift can pick any design they wish. My plan is for the next person who walks up to the bakery counter to purchase a cake to be told that someone has anonymously paid for their cake, and for them to then receive the receipt along with my handwritten message explaining the gift along with a Smile Card attached. It took some doing/convincing!  I had to speak to 2 members of the management and make 2 trips to the store.  I was turned down the first time ... Read Full Story >>

A Garland of Smiles

There are many occasions for giving flower leis, but instead of using flowers, I usually make whimsical leis with objects I’ve found.

I’ve used fabric remnants, colourful scraps of paper and plastic, old keys, bottle caps, beads, or any other small items that have been discarded.

I get great joy from gifting my creations to friends and strangers.

The other day, I found some tiny baby eggplants at the market and I strung them together with my usual scraps and remnants and gave the eggplant lei to a friend.  We had a great laugh about it.  He then sautéed the eggplants with lots of onions and garlic and we ended up with a delicious lei lunch.  I plan to experiment with making edible leis from now, using small fruits like baby carrots, grapes and mint leaves. 

How much fun will that be to give those away?! :)

Inspired by Kindness at the Toll Station

Has this ever happened to you? You pull up at a toll booth (in the cash only lane!) to pay for your toll and the attendant tells you that your toll has already been paid for by someone in the car in front of you!  I am happy to say that I've had this happen to me a few times - each time I sit there somewhat dumbfounded!

Today the thought hit me that toll booths are a great opportunity to use Smile Cards!  Next time your on the turnpike or the autobahn, take your smile cards with you.  When you pull up to the toll booth pay for your toll and the person behind you.  Give the attendant two smile cards - one for the attendant to spread some good, the other for the attendant to hand to the person in the car behind so that they too might have the opportunity to continue pay this act of kindness forward.

I'm going to try it the next time I go thru the toll booth just to see it in action - I'll report back!

The Fun of Giving Free Flowers

I recently celebrated a new kindness holiday: "Give Flowers to a Stranger Day." It's a monthly holiday that a fellow kindness blogger started a few months ago. I didn't let the fact that I'm on a tight budget stop me. I printed off a free note card I found online, wrote a little message on back explaining it was a RAOK (random act of kindness) and taped it to two simple white flowers I bought. Then I gave them to a mother with a young child coming out of the store. It was so much fun doing this RAOK to a total stranger- I can't wait to do it again next month!

You can read more & see pictures on my blog post about it: www.smilelaughloveblog.com/2010/08/flowers-for-stranger.html

Lunch For Two Hundred Orphans

I was part of a group of students who organized lunch at Sphoorti Foundation and Thara Ashram a few months back. We had a great time with the kids at those places. 

Tour Guide For A Day

My collegues at work are from Hong Kong and don't know anything about Oman where we are based. I was born there!

Giving A Smile Card Made Me Smile!

Team Mattie

A friend's son was diagnosed with cancer two years ago.  Some of the parents at the school where he was enrolled formed a support team headed by the wife of one of the physicians on the case. E-mails were sent out asking for people to volunteer to bring meals to the hospital for them. More people volunteered than there were slots available.    A call went out to send things that might be interesting and helpful to get him to participate in his therapies (chemo and physical) and boxes arrived almost daily, including some from South America and military locations in the US and elsewhere.    His Mom started a blog about his treatment and virtually every time she described something Mattie needed, someone stepped up to help.    He fought bravely but lost the battle almost a year ago. His mom says they would not have made it though without the support of "Team Mattie," those ... Read Full Story >>

Hooked On HelpOthers

Okay, I have a confession to make - and it's all the fault of you guys on this site!   I was on a flight earlier this week. It was a business trip so I was flying alone. I was last on the plane and when I got to my seat a mother was in the row with two kids, one of whom was in my seat. She asked if it was okay and of course it was okay! So I ended up sitting in another row in the aisle seat instead of my selected window seat, but it would have been a bad person who asked the kid to sit alone while I sat with his brother and mother!   So I ended up sitting behind another kid and, I am guessing, his father. All was good and the flight passed without incident.   When we landed the kid in front of me was fast ... Read Full Story >>